Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Vessel detectors
Derek Weston wrote:
We shorthand frequently on our sailboat, and electronic means to automatically detect vessels in our area are of great value to us. We have a radar with a watch facility which is great, except it draws 30-odd watts, more that we can afford as we're primarily solar panel powered. Our radar detector works well, but ships often have their radars switched off. Two ideas I've been mulling over to which others may be able to contribute useful ideas: 1) Nav light detectors I think it may be possible to devise an electronic system which can detect red and green coloured lights, and distinguish these from the moon and the stars. I'm imagining a rotating system with a cylindrical lens and both red-filtered and green-filtered detectors, and triggering an alarm on the basis of the magnitude of the difference between the two sensor outputs. With appropriate relative gain settings, the moon and the stars could give a near null result, while coloured nav lights may give a greater output sufficient for the alarm trigger. This may be close to the limits of present technology. I can imagine the sensors may need to be cooled (with consequent condensation problems). 2) Hydrophone systems Perhaps a ships prop or other ship noise can be detected electronically. Any thoughts, previous work, intelligent comments.... Derek Weston Talking Marine Instruments http://www.alphalink.com.au/~derekw/mit/apps.htm Years ago a marine publication recommended buying a standard traffic radar detector. Seems that they are so broadband that they will pick up nearly everything in the radar band. Owing to philosophical objections to the practice, I've never owned one, but it might be worth testing. I should think that anything of 'size' at night would be equipped with, and using, radar. |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Norwegian cargo vessel hitting ------ | Boat Building | |||
ship anchor hitting smaller vessel | General | |||
COLREGS - The final word on pecking order in restricted visibility. | General | |||
Boat US buys Vessel Assist | General | |||
vessel assist or Sea Tow? | General |